SUSS and the National Council of Social Services (NCSS) successfully co-organised the inaugural Volunteer Management Conference on 11 April 2023. Graced by Guest-of-Honour Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Mr Tan Chuan-Jin, Speaker of Parliament, over 1,600 participants (on-site and online) from the public, people and private sectors attended to learn about emerging trends in volunteerism, the importance of data and digitalisation in volunteer management, among other topics.
Professor Tan Tai Yong, SUSS President, delivering the Welcome Address
The inaugural conference brought together the entire volunteer management community for the first time to learn the latest trends and best practices for effective volunteer management and engagement. It aimed to strengthen the volunteer management community’s ability to serve its stakeholders and clients sustainably through volunteerism and effective volunteer management practices.
Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong shared in his speech, "We are fully committed to this work, because volunteerism is a crucial aspect of nation building. Volunteerism is not just something we do as individuals when we have spare time. It is fundamentally a reflection of who we are as a people, who we want to be; and the kind of society we want to have in Singapore."
Guests and speakers on stage to celebrate the event
“Our university is well placed to participate actively in delivering the much-needed inter-disciplinary educational offerings, applied research efforts, and partnerships that benefit society. Our ability to influence change continues to strengthen as we develop deeper connections to communities through our partners and those we seek to impact. Whether it is through our whole-of-university effort or our student and alumni community, we believe that education must serve a higher purpose. Beyond degrees and professional competence, we are committed to building human and social capital, in service to society and country,” said Professor Tan Tai Yong, SUSS President, who delivered the Welcome Speech at the conference.
Professor Ang Hak Seng, SUSS' Director of Centre of Excellence for Social Good (CESG), sharing personal anecdotes of beneficiaries during the panel discussion
Mr Chan Whee Peng, SUSS Lecturer, S R Nathan School of Human Development, leading the practice seminar
Professor Ang Hak Seng, Director of SUSS’ Centre of Excellence for Social Good was part of the panel discussion surrounding the topic of “Be the Change We Want to See” where he shared many of his personal insights with the audiences. Mr Chan Whee Peng, Lecturer from SUSS S R Nathan School of Human Development, also led the Volunteer Management Practice Seminar on “Developing and Equipping Your Volunteer Managers” where the participants learnt and discussed in an intimate setting.
Even as the event had concluded, SUSS remains committed to building a stronger community by championing social good centred around our strong links with community stakeholders. We look forward to creating more of such opportunities to make an impact on volunteerism in Singapore as we deliver our mission of equipping learners to serve society.
Check out our programmes/courses in Volunteer Management here